The Weekend of Wet

Cancel your hike on Saturday. Get a good book (hint...a suggestion is on the upper right of this page). Don't water your garden tomorrow. The weekend of wetness is coming. And the end of any serious threat of wildfires over the Northwest.


But not tomorrow. A weak front is approaching right now (see image) and could bring some light rain to the coast, but only some sprinkles will hit over the interior.

But wait until Saturday, when a moderate front..with plenty of moisture... will reach us.
The rain from the front will approach the coast in the early morning hours and the western lowlands between 7 and 9 AM. The three hour rainfall ending 11 AM is shown below. The front will move through during the day, bringing rain to the Cascades and even some showers to the east of the crest. Take a look at the 24-h rainfall ending 5 PM below. Perhaps a 1/4 to 1/2 inch over the lowlands. Not a good day for a hike in the Olympics. You could get away with a hike on the lower eastern Cascade slopes if you go early.
But wait. The fun doesn't stop there. The front moves through Saturday evening, followed by a short break in the action. Then an upper trough moves in bringing more showers to the region on Sunday. Take a look at the precipitation for the 24-h ending 5 PM on Sunday below. Plenty of rain over the entire state..with particularly heavy rain on the SW side of the Olympics...roughly two more inches. And eastern Washington gets enough to wet things down.
And did I mention the winds? A surface low will accompany Sunday's trough...bringing windy conditions over the ocean and along the coast (see graphic). And 25-35 kt southeasterly winds will develop over NW Washington.
Time to find your rain jackets that have been buried in your closet. You will need it. And one more thing...watch the driving. It has been fairly dry and there is lots of oil on the road. Add water and it will be slippery.